Anti-riot police Monday broke up a “Day of Anger” rally by Mauritanian youths demanding the ouster of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, detaining about 20 protesters. As the tide of Arab uprisings swept to the west of Africa, police used tear gas on hundreds of demonstrators who sought to enter a square in downtown Nouakchott that has been declared off-limits for protesters since rallies began in late February. About 20 protesters, including three women, were held for questioning as the gro…

On 25 April 2011 a mile-long protest match in a “day of rage” against the Mauritanian dictator Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz was met with brute force and tear gas. Dictator Abdelaziz grabbed power in the 2008 coup – and whitewashed his deed with elections in 2009.

A Mauritanian riot policeman holds a grenade launcher as he patrols the streets of Nouakchott in 2008 Anti-riot police Monday broke up a “Day of Anger” rally by Mauritanian youths demanding the ouster of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, detaining about 20 protesters.As the tide of Arab uprisings swept to the west of Africa, police used tear gas on hundreds of demonstrators who sought to enter a square in downtown Nouakchott that has been declared off-limits for protesters since rallies beg…

Hundreds of pro-reform protesters demonstrated in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, demanding political and social reforms, (File photo) Hundreds of pro-reform protesters demonstrated in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott on Monday, demanding political and social reforms. A youth movement called February 25 organized the demonstrations. The movement has been arranging sit-ins and protests using the social networking site Facebook since January 2011. The campaign started off small with simp…

NOUAKCHOTT, April 25 (Reuters) – Security forces using
teargas and batons dispersed several hundred anti-government
protesters in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott on Monday, the
most serious clash in

Mauritanian youths rally against government Youths stage ‘Day of Anger’ in Nouakchott to demand ouster of Abdel Aziz regime.

NOUAKCHOTT – Mauritanian youths staged a mass “Day of Anger” in the capital Monday, demanding the ouster of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz as the tide of Arab uprisings swept to the west of Africa.”

The people want the departure of the regime,” hundreds chanted in downtown Nouakchott, waving the Mauritanian flag and banners stressing the peaceful nature of their protest.

The “Youth of February 25″ group, named after the day of their first anti-government protest, which was quashed by police, was on Monday prevented by security forces from entering a central square.

In a bid to avoid confrontation, the demonstrators instead demonstrated in nearby streets, interrupting traffic on the main artery to the city centre.

The rally, which had been arranged via Facebook, was targeted against one of the youngest Arab regimes. Abdel Aziz won a disputed election in July 2009 in the wake of an army coup.

Police had clamped down on protests since they began on February 25, and organisers of Monday’s rally said they had been warned “to expect the worst”.

Opposition MPS have said in a statement they would join the protesters in case the police intervened.

The protesters were for the first time joined by young female supporters of opposition parties, whose spokeswoman, Fatimettou Mint Ahmed said they wanted to highlight the “corrupt” nature of the sitting government. The government “is responsible for a real threat to the unity of our people,” she said.

Mauritania, which neighbours Algeria, is the most westerly member of the Arab League.

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